Falling Leaves Mixed Media Art Lesson for Kids

The objective of this art lesson for kids is to learn painting and mixed media techniques to create a magical winter tree. Inspired by "Fletcher and the Falling Leaves" by Julia Rawlinson.

Recommended Art Materials: 

Connector Paint Box
Brushes - flat
Pencils
9x12 Watercolor Paper
Tubes of silver glitter glue

Vocabulary:

Mixed media 
Sketch
Horizontal
Crayon Resist
Soupy
Bleed

"Fletcher and the Falling Leaves" by Julia Rawlinson

Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is a lovely story of a sensitive young fox’s first experience with the beauty and wonder of nature and it’s changing seasons. In this surprisingly simple lesson plan, students will learn creative and effective techniques to create their own magical winter tree.

1. Demonstrate how to loosely sketch a tree onto a 9x12 piece of watercolor paper. Include plenty of horizontal branches for icicles. Keep pencil lines light. Demonstrate the crayon resist technique by using a white crayon to make random lines on the tree trunk and branches.

2. Prepare to paint by showing how to add plenty of water to the paint to get a “soupy” consistency. Using a flat, soft brush, paint some water over the entire background and tree. Add colors and let them spread and bleed into each other. Gently guide paint with the brush to where you want it. White crayon marks will resist paint, adding interest to the tree. While paint is wet, add small pinches of salt here and there to react with paint and get a dreamy, magical effect. Let dry.

Icicles:
Demonstrate how to add icicles with silver glitter glue. Begin creating icicles at top of tree and move downward so as to not smear the wet glitter glue as you go. Create each icicle by gently squeezing the tube and slowly dragging the tip downward on the art. Taper off the end of the icicle by squeezing less. The icicles will flatten out as they dry. Student’s efforts at this will probably not be perfect, but will nonetheless have a charming effect, and be very fun!

Download the falling leaves lesson plan.